Apparatus for making commutators



A ril 22, 1952 R. A. SAUER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMMUTATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1948 lrrogzvsys April 22, 1952 R. A. SAUER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMMUTATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1948 I I l I April 22, 1952 R. A. SAUER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMMUTATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 15. 1948 IN V EN TOR. RON/4A0 A 5/7067? m ww w 1: wmmmig ii a z 1! I, u 1 Q m mm Q a April 22, 1952 R. A. SAUER 2,593,801

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMMUTATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 15, 1948 INVENTOR. Fa /9.4 0 4. 5405/? BY W 14 rTQ /VEXS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSJOR MAKING COMMUTATORS Ronald A. Sauer, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 15, 1948, Serial No. 33,039

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for making commutators.

commutators are formed of alternating copper segments or bars and insulating segments or spacers formed of mica or other suitable insulating material. The copper and" insulating segments are arranged in-a circle with the segments extending radially thereof and are. held assembled by means of hub members as is well known in the art. The practice has been to assemble the segments in a jig orform in which a portion of the commutator hub is arranged. Usually the assembly of the copper and insulating segments in the jig or form is done manually and is a slow, tedious and' expensiveoperation which materially increases the labor costs. connected with the production of the commutators.

The invention contemplates an apparatus. for making commutators which arranges on av strip of adhesive tape or similar material a longitudinal series of alternating copper and insulating segments sufiicient in number to-form the commutator and with the brush engaging surfaces of the segments contacting the adhesion of the tape.

An, object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel apparatus for mechanically assembling thecopper and insulating segments on the strip of adhesive tape or material and whichapparatus is simple in construction, facilitatesand. speeds up the assembly operation and results in reducing the time and labor cost involved in such operation.

Further and additional objects and advantages resulting from the practice of the invention will become apparent hereinafter during the. detailed description of the method and an embodiment of the apparatusfor carrying out the assembly of the segments which is to follow.

Referring to the accompanying. drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus for assembling. the copper and insulating segments alternately in a longitudinal series adhered to a strip of adhesive tape or other suitable material.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and ona largerscale than Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on. a larger scale than Fig. l. and is taken substantially along line 3 3 of Fig. 1. looking in the directionof the-arrows.

Fig, 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on, a larger scale than-Fig. 1 andistakensubstau- 2 tially along line 44 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views on a larger scale than Fig. 1 and are taken respectively along lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a longitudinal series of alternating copper and insulating segments arranged and adhered to a strip of suitable adhesive tape or other material.

Fig. 8' is a side elevational view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the longitudinal series of alternating copper and insulating segments arranged on the adhesive strip as shown in Figs. 7- and 8 and then formed into a circle and held. in the circular arrangement by means of the strip of adhesive tape or other material, and

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view through a completed commutator showing the clamping and hub members mounted in the circularly arranged segments and finally assembled to constitute the completed commutator.

The method of making the commutators will first be described since this will make the utility of the apparatus more apparent. Consequently reference to Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive should be had in connection with the description that is to follow immediately.

As is well understood in the art, commutators comprise a circular series of radially extending copper segments H which are insulated from each other by insulating segments I2 located between the copper segments. The opposite ends of the copper segments II are machined to provide recesses which receive clamping or hub members l3, it being understood that these members [3 also extend into similar notches or recesses formed in the opposite ends of the insulating-strips. One of the clamping or hub members I3 may be formed with an integral sleeve or hub [4 extending through the commutator and having its free end deformed againstthe other member l3 to provide a clamping flange l5. If desired, the sleeve l4 may be extended and threaded to receive a holding or clamping nut in place of the clamping flange IS. The sleeve l4 enables the commutator to be mounted on a shaft not shown.

Suitable insulation strips I6 and I! are arranged between the copper segments, the insulating segments, the clamping members l3- and the sleeve; M. The detailed description thus far set forth describes a commutator construction which is, well known in the art and therefore a more specific explanation of this known construction will not be necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the art.

Ordinarily the copper and insulating segments are laboriously and tediously assembled into a circle by hand by inserting the segments into a jig or form in which one of the clamping members I3, preferably the one with the sleeve I4, has been previously positioned. The method of as sembling the copper and insulating segments into circular form does not require the use of a jig or form and may be carried out expeditiously thus lessening the time and labor cost incident to the manufacture of the commutator. this method lends itself to mechanical assembly of the copper and insulating segments -mor-e readily than does the old method. I

The copper segments l I and the insulating segments I2 are alternately arranged in a longitudinal series upon and adhered to a strip of suitable adhesive tape or other material I8 as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. The requisite number of copper and insulating segments for each commutator will be thus arranged while the strip of adhesive tape or other material will be of such length as to have free ends projecting beyond the longitudinal series of segments. The strip with the assembled longitudinal series of segments adhered thereto may then be taken by its free ends and the series of segments and the strip moved into circular form as indicated in Fig. 9, with the strip I8 extending around the outer circumference of the now circular series of segments and with the free end of the strip adhering together as indicated in Fig. 9 at 18a to hold the now circular series of commutator segments in assembled position. The circularly assembled series of segments held in position by the tape I8 is now in condition to have the strips of insulating material I6 and I! positioned therein and the "clamping members I3 properly assembled into position, after which the whole assembly may be secured together by the deformation of the clamping flange I5 of the sleeve I4. The commutator is now completely formed and secured in assembled relationship, whereupon the tape I8 is removed from the outer circumference of the described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the frame of the apparatus comprises end walls I9 interconnected by side walls 20 only one ofv which is shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the end and :side Walls of the frame may at their lower ends be secured to a suitable base.

The frame of the apparatus adjacent its left hand end as viewed in Fig. 1, has secured to one of the walls 20 a vertically extending supporting block 2|, the upper end of which bears against and supports the underside of a'longitudinally extending supporting member 22 as indicated in Fig. 2. The supporting member v22 extends toward the right of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1 and in part rests upon the upper edge of the side wall 25. The upper side of the supporting member 22 has secured to it in spaced relationship longitudinally extending guide strips 23 and 24 which have their adjacent longitudinal edges undercut to provide withthe supporting member Additionally,

22 a. guiding channel complementary to the configuration of the copper and insulating segments as will later become apparent.

The guide strip 23 has its left hand end as viewed in Fig. 1 terminating in slightly spaced relationship to the inner side of the end wall I9 for a purpose later to beexplained. The guide strip 24 is longer than the guide strip 23 and extends over the top edge of the end wall I9 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The supporting member 22 extends beyond the left hand end wall I9 as ..viewed in Fig. 1 and as indicated by dash lines and the upper side of this extended portion of the supporting member is provided with a. guide strip 23a, the end of which is spaced a predetermined distance from the end of the guide strip 23 and with a guide strip 24a the end of which is spaced a greater but predetermined distance from the end of the guide strip 24.

ing member 22 and to the end wall land the short arm of this L-shaped block is recessed adjacent its upper cornerto provide a guide channel between it and the end wall I9 and which guide channel is in alignment with the space between guide strips 23 and 23a.

A feed hopper 26 for the insulating segments has its lower end 26a located in a recess formed in the upper edge of the end wall I9 and terminates flush with the inner side of said end wall I9 and in a position wherein the insulating segments in the feed hopper will be discharged successively in proper vertical position into the space between the short arm of the block 25 and the end wall I9, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the insulating segments I2 located in the feed hopper 26 may be fed downwardly by gravity or by other suitable means, not shown, so as to successively position the lowermost insulating segment in the slot referred to; A retaining plate 21 is secured to the top edge of the end plate I9 and to the top side of the short arm of the L-shaped block 25 and overlies the slot between said arm and end wall. A reciprocating feed bar 28 moves in the space between the block 25 and the end wall l9 and has its inner end shaped to engage the side of each insulating segment l2 coming into the slot from the feed hopper 26 and push the same along the slot and between the guide strips 23 and 23a until it has its rear portion underlying the guide strip 24. The means for actuating the feed bar 28 will be described hereinafter.

A vertically extending feed chute or hopper 29 is secured to the frame of the apparatus and is so located that its discharge end coincides with the space between the guide strips 24 and 24a. This chute consists of a channel and a suitable cover plate for the channel and forms the means for feeding the copper segments I l to the apparatus. The channel in which the copper segment are arranged extends downwardly and then curves toward the space between the guide plate, 24 and 24a so that the copper segments although originally on their sides will be in upright position when they have passed from the supply chute and into the channel between the guide strips 24, 24a and the guide strip 23a, at which time the undercut edge of the latter guide strip will engage in the recess formed in one side of the copper segment. The copper segments will be moved downwardly in the chute 29 either by gravity or by a suitable pressure means and the upper end of the chute 5 may be provided with a supply hopper if desired.

The successive "copper segments as they move An L-shaped block 25 is secured to the supportinto the. position just. described are pushed forwardlyandinto the guideway between the-strips 2.3;,and24. The. pushing of the coppersegments asjust' referred to is brought about by-a reciprocating pusher bar 30 having its upper-side shaped to interfit the guide strips and sliding in the channel formed by said guide strips.

It will be understood that the feed bar 28 and the pusher bar 30 will be operated alternately so that alternating copper and insulating segments arranged in a longitudinal series will be pushed into the channel formed by the guide bars 23 and 24.as will later be more fully explained.

The rear wall 20 of the apparatus supports a horizontal shaft.3| on which is a roller 32. This shaft and roller are so located that a portion of the circumference of the roller extends into an opening. formed in the member 22 and located below the right hand end of the strips 23 and 24 as viewed in Fig. 1'. The location of the roller 32 is such that an endless belt 33 extending around thezroller passes tangentially therefrom and onto an extended channeled portion of the member 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The belt 33 extends around a similar roller 34 on a shaft 35 that can be adjusted toward and away from the roller 32 by means of an adjustable block carrying the shaft and mounted in a slot 36 formed in the inner side of the wall 20, wherefore the tension of the endless belt 33 can be varied.

The member 22 adjacent the right hand end of the guide strips 23 and 24, as viewed in Fig. 1, has secured to the upper side of spaced strip portions of the member similar spring plates 31 for a purpose later to be explained. An abutment block 38 is secured to the upper side of the belt 33 within the extended channel of the member 22 and said block has hinged to it an operating lever 39 which in turn has secured to it an arm 40' extending toward the spring plates 31 and provided at its free end with a downturned stop or abutment portion 4|, the purpose of which will later become clear.

Beneath the belt 33 the rear wall 20 of the frame is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 42 in which is slidably mounted a block 43 that carries a shaft 44 on which a reel 45 is rotatably mounted. This reel 45 is adapted to carry a supply of strip material such as adhesive material, Scotch tape or the like indicated at I8 and said material extends from the reel around a guide roll 46 carried by the wall 20, between two pressure or tension rolls 41 and 48 and over a spring guide plate 49 secured to the underside of the member 22. The strip l8 passes from the guide plate 49 through the opening in the member 22 and along the upper surface of the belt 33 with the adhesive side of the strip uppermost. The free end of the strip passes between the upper side of the block 38 and the lower side of the actuating lever 39 and is then bent over the upper side of the stop or abutment arm 4 with the abutment portion 4| of said arm bearing upon the upper side of the strip. It will thus be seen that the free end of the strip is anchored to the abutment block 38.

The feed bar 28 and the pusher bar 39 may be actuated by any suitable means so long as said bar are alternately moved so as to alternately position insulating segments I2 and copper segments H between the guide strips 23 and 24. As an example of the manner in which these bars can be moved the following arrangement is illustrated.

A cylinder 50 is supported by the rear. or side wall. 28 and hasitsopposite ends connected by conduits 5-1 and '52 to a;source of supply of fluid pressure. A piston is slidably mounted in the cylinder. 50 and is connected to a piston rod 53 which at itsaouter end isprovided with a clevis carrying: apin extending through an elongated slot in the. lower. end of a rockable lever 54 that is pivotally mounted intermediate-its ends on the left hand end wall I9 ofthe frame as viewed in Fig. l. The upper end of the lever 54 is provided with an elongated'slot through which extends a pivot pin carried by' the feed bar 28, wherefore it will be apparent that, as the piston in the cylinder 50 moves in one or the other direction depending upon the admission and exhaust of fluid pressure through the conduits 5| and 52, the rod 53 will rock the lever 54 and the latter in turn will effect reciprocation of the bar or arm '28.

A similar cylinder 55' is supported by the end wall I!) and its opposite ends are connected to fluid pressure conduits 56 and 51. The piston within the cylinder 55' is provided with a piston rod 58 that extends through an opening in the end wall Miami is provided at its outer end with a clevis carrying a pin, which pin, in turn, extends through an elongated slot formed, in the lower end of a rockable lever 59. The lever 59 is pivoted-intermediate its ends on a pin carried by the forked portion of a supporting bracket 60 that is secured to the exterior ofthe end wall IS. The upper end of' the lever 59 is provided with an elongated slot that is located in a forked portion of the pusher bar 30 and receives a pin carried by said forked portion, wherefore rocking movement of the lever 59 imparts reciprocating movement to thebar 30. It will be understood that control of the pressure fluid in the conduits 56 and 51 controls the movement of the piston in the cylinder 55 and thus the rocking movement ofthe lever 59 and the reciprocating movement of the bar 30.

Although various forms of controls might be used for the cylinders 50 and 55 it will be assumed that separate manually operated control valves are operatively associated respectively with the conduits 5| and 52 and with the conduits 56 and '51 so that the operator can alternately cause the bar 28 and the bar 30 to reciprocate to alternately push an insulating segment and a copper segment into the guide channel between the strips 23 and 24.

It is desirable that a suflicient amount of slack in the strip [8 be provided between the tension rolls 4-! and 48 and the reel 45 to provide for the easy feeding of the proper length of strip for a particular commutator assembly as will become more apparent during the description of the operation of the apparatus. In order to provide for this slack of the strip la the block 45 is connected to. the piston rod; 61 of a piston that. is slidable in the cylinder 62 and which cylinder has its opposite ends connected to conduits 63 and 64 whereby pressure fluid may be admitted or exhausted as thecase may be to or from the opposite ends of the cylinder 62. It will be seen that when the piston, in the cylinder 62 moves toward the right hand end of the cylinder as viewed in Fig. 1 the block 43 and reel 45 will move toward the right hand end of the slot 42 and since the strip is is held between the tension rolls 4'! and 48' such; movement of the reel will cause the slack in the strip l8 to be taken up and a length ofjthe strip tobe unwound from the reel. Then when the; piston: in the cylinder 62 moves in the opposite direction the reel. will, move: back to the no..-

sition indicated in Fig. 1 and sufficient slack in the strip l8 will be created between the tension rolls and the reel. This operation will take place prior to each assembly of a longitudinal series of copper and insulating segments onto the adhesive surface of the strip that extends along the belt 33. A suitable control valve, not shown, will be provided for controlling the pressure fluid in the conduits '63 and 64 to effect the operation just described.

In order to coordinate and make clear the purpose of the mechanical parts of the apparatus which have been described the operation of the apparatus will now be set forth. It will be assumed that the strip [8 extends from the reel 45 with the proper slack, passes between the tension rolls 4! and 48 over the guide plate 49 and along the upper surface of the belt 33 and is anchored to the block 38. It will also be assumed that the block 38 and the belt 33 have been manually moved to place the abutment portion 4| of the arm 43 against the spring plates 31. In addition it will be assumed that the supply hopper 26 is loaded with insulating segments l2 and that one of said segments is in the slot between the L- shaped block 25 and the lower end of the hopper 26. Also it will be assumed that the supply chute 29 is loaded with copper segments and that one of said segments has passed outwardly of the space between the strips 24 and 24a and has a portion beneath the guide strip 23a and lies in the path of movement of the pusher bar 30. The operator by means of the control valves previously referred to effects alternate actuation of the bar 28 and the bar 33 to alternately push an insulating segment and a copper segment into the channel between the guide strips 23 and 24, it being understood that the pusher bar 30 also functions to move the alternate and assembled longitudinal series of insulating segments and copper segments along in the guideway between the strips 23 and 24 beneath the spring plates 31 until the leading segment contacts the portion 4| of the arm 40. Thereafter the pusher bar 30 effects the longitudinal movement of the series of alternating insulating and copper segments which, in turn, causes the block 38 to move toward the right with a resultant movement of the belt 33. As the segments pass beneath the spring plates 31 they are pressed by the latter firmly against the adhesive tape of the strip 18 which is to be adhered thereto. It will be understood that the movement of the block 38 toward the right draws the strip [8 between the pressure rolls so that there is always a length of strip to which can be adhered the advancing segments as they pass beneath the spring plates. This operation is continued until a sufficient number of alternating insulating and copper segments to form a commutator have been adhered to the strip P8 to the right of the spring plates as viewed in Fig. 1. When the proper number of segments to form a commutator has been thus adhered to the strip, the block 38 is then manually moved farther toward the right together with the belt 33 to draw a length of the strip 18 onto the upper surface of the belt. After this has been accomplished the strip [8 above the belt is severed so as to leave a projecting free end from the assembled series of segments and also a projecting free end for starting the next assembling operation. Then the actuating lever 39 is raised and the interlocked end of the strip I8 is detached from the lever 39 and the arm 40 and the severed length of strip with the assembled alternating copper and insulating segments adhered thereto is removed from the apparatus in the form indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, wherefore the segments and strip can be arranged into circular form as previously described and as indicated in Fig. 9.

When the severed length of the strip with the assembled segments thereon has been removed as just explained the block 33 is again moved toward the spring plates 37, the free end of the strip I8 is again anchored to the block and the abutment portion 4! is again placed in contact with the spring plates 37. The operator may now actuate the piston in the cylinder 62 to provide the required slack in the strip l8 and then he alternately actuates the bar 28 and pusher bar 33 to repeat the assembling of alternate insulating and copper segments in the longitudinal series on the adhesive surface of the strip.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the apparatus enables the insulating and copper segments to be arranged alternatively in a longitudinal series and adhered to the strip l8, wherefore lengths of the strip can be readily severed and the formation of the commutator completed. Consequently the apparatus greatly facilitates the manufacture of commutators and although the apparatus has been described as manually controlled it will be understood that suitable automatic control means could be employed therewith.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In an apparatus for making commutators, a supporting frame, a longitudinally extending guideway carried thereby, means for successively positioning in said guideway insulating segments extending transversely of the guideway, means for inserting copper segments into said guideway in a similar position and with the brush engaging surface thereof lowermost, means for moving the inserted segments in a longitudinal series longitudinally of the guideway, movable stop means carried by said frame and having a portion located at one end of the guideway and against which the leading segment of said series engages, means for guiding a strip of adhesive material adapted to be connected to said movable stop means so that a length of said material forms a continuation of the base of said guideway, wherefore said advancing series of segments will move onto said strip, and means for pressing said segments firmly into contact with said strip.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for successively positioning the insulating segments in said guideway includes a power actuated reciprocating bar.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for moving the inserted segments in a longitudinal series longitudinally of said guideway includes a power actuated reciprocating bar.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein a movable endless belt is carried by said frame with the upper reach of said belt forming a continuation of the base of said guideway while said strip lies on said upper reach of the belt, said stop means being secured to saidbelt and movable therewith.

5. An apparatus for making commutators and comprising a supporting frame, a longitudinally extending guideway, separate means adaptedto alternately insert into said guideway copper and 9 insulating segments and to move a longitudinal series of the inserted segments longitudinally of said guideway, movable abutment means located adjacent one end of said guideway and adapted to have the leading segment of said series engage thereagainst, said abutment means being provided with means adapted to connect a strip of adhesive material to said abutment means so as to have a length of such material in extension of the base of said guideway, and means adapted to press the segments into firm contact with the strip material.

RONALD A. SAUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Ntunber UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Janke Dec. 16, 1919 Frederick May 20, 1939 Hardman et a1. Feb. 28, 1933 Oldenburg May 9, 1933 Bluzat July 17, 1934 Baker et al Nov. 6, 1934 Keller June 23, 1936 Winterhalter Feb. 23, 1937 Cullin Aug. 5, 1941 Millenaar July 7, 1942 

